Ava and Peter
by dizzyizzy123
Summary: "You're an idiot, Parker," said Ava as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but that's why you love me, right?" grinned Peter as he finished dispatching the final Doom-bot. Ava flushed and took a small step back, thankful that her costume covered her face entirely. An Ava/Peter story. Terrible title, I know. Now declared to be the sister-fic to "Their First".
1. Chapter 1

I ship Ava/Peter and there was no fanfiction for me so I wrote my own. Enjoy, shippers.

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Chapter 1

"You're an idiot, Parker," said Ava as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, but that's why you love me, right?" grinned Peter as he finished dispatching the final Doom-bot. Ava flushed and took a small step back, thankful that her costume covered her face entirely.

"If you're done showing off here, can we go get something to eat?" interrupted Sam obnoxiously. "I'm starving."

Ava straightened up as she surveyed the situation: the last Doom-bot was destroyed, thanks to Peter's unconventional attack method; there was still a lot of rubble and destruction around the city but S.H.I.E.L.D. would take care of that; and most importantly of all, the people were safe.

"You guys can go ahead," said Ava. "I'll take care of the paperwork."

"Come on, Ava," said Peter as he put his arm around her. Ava became painfully aware on how close Peter was to her body. "You mean to tell me that taking out ten Doom-bots didn't work up an appetite?"

Ava allowed herself to momentarily enjoy his touch before she shrugged off his arm.

"Just not hungry right now, I guess," she said.

"Come on, you don't even want to go for some pizza?" wheedled Luke. "Or we could go to that vegan place you like," suggested Danny.

No one could see if officially of course, but everyone knew that Sam was rolling his eyes underneath his mask. "No one likes that place except for you, Danny," he said. "Now personally, I'm craving a good hamburger and a milkshake."

The boys then erupted into an argument over where they should go eat but for once, surprisingly enough, Parker didn't chime in with his own two cents about how he was the leader of the team so he should pick.

Instead, he turned to Ava and said, "I'll bring you back something, okay?"

He then playfully nudged her hand before he and the boys ran into the night, still arguing about where to go.

"Hey, I'm the team leader so what I say goes: Mexican for dinner!" Ava heard Peter yell.

You're an idiot, Parker, thought Ava. Then again, Mexican was her favorite.

She hoped he remembered her favorite place. He did.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Peter Parker thought this Homecoming Dance was probably the lamest one ever.

He voiced this thought aloud to Danny who just grunted in response.

Then again, he said that every year about every dance he attended. It may have had something to do with the fact that every year he showed up dateless, sat on the sidelines for the whole thing, and just watched all the happy couples enjoy their normal high school experiences.

S.H.I.E.L.D. gave them the night off, much to his displeasure. Peter would have rather fought the Frightful Four four times than put on an ill-fitting suit that used to belong to Uncle Ben and watch everyone rock out to Katy Perry but someone at S.H.I.E.L.D. was concerned that he and his team were getting burnt out and needed to enjoy "normal" high school experiences to relax.

What a load.

"Why the long face, Parker? Come dance with us!" called Sam as he passed by, spinning around MJ. She agreed to go with him, but just as friends. Still, Sam couldn't resist rubbing it in Peter's face that he had a date and Peter didn't. Peter sighed glumly, wishing he could pin Sam against the wall in a giant cocoon so he would stop moving across the dance floor and stop looking so happy. Danny put a sympathetic hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Just because you're unhappy, doesn't mean others have to be," he said wisely.

"I think you need to stop reading so many fortune cookies," quipped Peter as he scanned the room for someone else to talk to. Harry was busy with his date, Luke was talking to a girl from his science class at the punch bowl, and Ava was—

Wait a minute. Where was Ava?

Just then, the crowd imperceptibly parted to allow a late comer to pass through. Her slightly curled dark hair was hanging loose around her shoulders, and she looked positively stunning in a white off the shoulder gown. She seemed to be looking for someone and to Peter's surprise, she waved when she looked to where he and Danny were sitting.

It was Ava.

She approached them, smiling nervously. Danny nodded in her direction and said, "Looking good, Ayala."

"Same to you, Rand," said Ava as she took the empty seat next to Peter, who tried not to gape. "What did I miss?"

"Party Rock Anthem, Firework, and Super Bass," said Danny, listing all the songs played so far on his fingers.

"They didn't play that J. Lo song I hate, did they?"

"Nope."

"Damn, I was hoping I would miss it if I showed up later."

"And here I thought you were late because you were spending time on your hair," Peter tried to joke, desperate to join the conversation. Ava turned to him and looked him up and down.

"I think you should have spent a little more time doing whatever knot you call that tie," said Ava. She shook her head and started to fiddle with the red and blue patterned tie Aunt May bought him. "Honestly, Peter: you can't look up how to tie a tie before you come to a dance?" she asked as she expertly knotted the fabric.

"Why would I when you can do it for me?" said Peter. A few strands of hair fell into Ava's eyes as she looked up from her work. Peter raised his hand to brush them away but he changed his mind halfway through and cleared his throat nervously.

"So what's the J. Lo song you hate? Maybe I'll ask them to play it."

"Don't you dare."

"If you're nice to me, I won't."

"Peter—"

"I think fetching me a glass of punch might put you on the right foot."

"Seriously, Peter don't."

"And then maybe you can buy me one of those sugar cookies they're selling over there?"

"I am not buying you a cookie."

"Oh, hey DJ! My friend really wants to hear this J. Lo song!"

"Peter!" But Ava was laughing and Peter grinned at her, feeling that his night had just gotten better for some reason.

"I'm going to go find something to drink that isn't artificial," said Danny as he stood up and straightened his olive blazer. "Hey, Ava? Why don't you ask Peter to dance? He's been sulking all night," he added as he left.

Ava turned to Peter, raising her eyebrows. "Why have you been sulking? Did Flash Thompson try to stuff you in a locker?"

"Yes," admitted Peter. "But that's not why."

"Okay, then why?"

"Because S.H.I.E.L.D thinks we can actually have normal high school experiences even though all we do is wake up, go to school, and save the world. Like, going to one lousy dance in a cheaply decorated gym is supposed to make up for all the times we've had to lie to our families and friends so we could go take down a super villain. I mean, I'm not complaining about saving people all the time but it's pointless to pretend that we're just like everyone else when we're not."

Peter didn't realize how bitter his words sounded until he said them aloud. Ava stared at him for a moment before nodding her head sympathetically.

"I don't know we bother with this charade," she agreed. "We're not normal. We're not ever going to be normal. And I don't know about you, but I'm okay with that. You know?"

Peter nodded. This conversation was getting too heavy for him all of a sudden, even though he was the one who brought it up. He did want to feel a little normal _sometimes_. It's just…he didn't want to pretend that's all he was when he was secretly wearing his Spiderman costume underneath his suit just in case something bad happened at the dance.

"You wanna dance?" he asked, desperate to change the subject. Ava looked surprised but said okay. They both got up and joined the dancing student body of Midtown High. As Ava and Peter were about to join their booty shaking peers while Dynamite by Taio Cruz played, the DJ took the microphone and announced, "And now it's time to slow things down a little".

The lights dimmed and Peter was grateful that Ava couldn't see him blush as an old school eighties song, Take My Breath Away, played.

"We don't have to dance to this if you don't want to," Ava said quickly.

"No, no," insisted Peter. "If S.H.I.E.L.D. wants us to pretend to be normal…then they are going to get it."

He hesitantly placed both his hands on Ava's waist and she equally hesitantly placed her hands on his shoulders. Slowly, they began to sway across the floor.

"This is…" began Ava.

"Nice," finished Peter. Ava smiled and she stepped in a little closer, leaning her head against his chest. Peter also relaxed. This really _was_ nice.

"Peter?"

"Hmm?"

"Your hands are not at my waist anymore. Bring them up."

"Oh sorry," said Peter as he quickly raised his hands back up to Ava's waist level. She rolled her eyes but smiled at him. The song faded out as the strands of On the Floor, the song Ava proclaimed to hate, started to play.

Ava groaned but Peter just grinned at her. "Come on, let's dance!" he yelled over the noise and spun Ava around, who laughed.

Maybe Homecoming wasn't so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

When Mary Jane invites Ava to her house for a slumber party on Friday night, Ava says yes for two reasons: 1) She likes hanging out with MJ and 2) She's tired of hanging around her sausage fest of her team.

Ava was in one of her rare moods where all she felt like doing was watching a cheesy movie, eating a ton of chocolate, and talking about random, insignificant topics.

"No, I'm 'not on the rag' as you so insensitively put it, Sam," snapped Ava at lunch time when she told the team about her plans. "I just want to hang out with some girls for once."

"What do you get with girls that you don't get with us?" asked Peter through a mouthful of meatloaf surprise. Ava balled up her napkin and threw it at him.

"Civil table manners, for one," she snorted.

Now, sitting in MJ's living room in her unsexy, unfashionable oversized t shirt and drawstring shorts, Ava would have done anything to rejoin her guys if it meant getting out of there. Who knew you had to be fashionable even in your sleep? thought Ava as she surveyed the other girls in their cute tank tops with matching pajama bottoms with cute patterns.

Ava had assumed that the sleepover's guest list would just include herself but MJ decided to invite all her other friends too, girls that Ava didn't know and was struggling to feel comfortable with.

They were just all so normal the way they mouthed lines in "Mean Girls" and sighed as they watched Patrick Swayze dance in "Dirty Dancing"; painted each other's toenails and gave each other manicures; and now, as they sat in a circle for a game of Truth or Dare, giggling like crazy even though nothing truly funny had been said in the last ten minutes.

"Okay, MJ," said a curly haired blonde as she popped another potato chip in her mouth. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," said MJ simply.

"Who was your first kiss?"

"Oh, that's easy. It was Peter."

Ava nearly spit up her Coke all over the carpet when she heard MJ's response. "Peter Parker?" she clarified as she tried not to choke on the soda bubbles. Everyone exchanged quizzical glances.

"Did you not know?" asked the black girl named Mackenzie. Ava shook her head violently.

"Oh that's right. Ava's new," said Anya, a brunette. She playfully nudged MJ. "She doesn't know about your and Peter's great love affair!"

MJ rolled her eyes. "We kissed once, like in middle school."

"How—how was it?" asked Ava, trying to be casual. MJ shrugged. "I don't remember. It was a little peck on the lips. But it was really awkward and we agreed to be just friends. End of story. Someone go next!"

Ava just sat there in stunned silence as a few other girls took their turns. She knew MJ and Peter were close but she didn't know they were that close. Or had been. And why do I care so much anyway? Ava asked herself, frowning. It wasn't like she liked Peter; they were just friends too.

She was just surprised, that's all.

"Okay, Ava, your turn," said MJ. "Truth or dare?"

All the dares so far had been lame things like, doing a cartwheel or taking a shot of ketchup. Ava suddenly missed the boys; they would have come up with way more thrilling dares like prank calling Nick Fury or sending a love letter to Dr. Doom. Peter would have come up with the best, no doubt.

Why was she thinking about Peter?

"Uh, hello? Ava? Truth or dare?" demanded Candace, the curly haired blonde.

"Oh, uh, truth I guess," said Ava.

"Do you—no, _who_ do you have a crush on at school?" asked MJ. The girls immediately giggled as Ava blushed.

"Look, she's blushing!" crowed Mackenzie.

"You can't lie, you are under the slumber party oath!" declared Anya as she drank her Sprite.

"Tell! Tell! Tell!" chanted the girls as Ava tried to cover her cheeks in an attempt to make them stop burning.

"Okay, I like…" Ava searched her mind for a boy that she did like at school. Plenty of them were nice enough but Ava never really got to know them as she was busy with stuff for S.H.I.E.L.D. with Luke, Danny, Sam, and Peter.

"Is it Danny?" piped up Candace.

"No, she's always flirting with Sam," insisted Anya.

"No, she always flirts with Parker," corrected Mackenzie. Ava snuck a glance at MJ for her reaction but MJ was grinning like crazy. "Come on, Ava tell us," she begged. Ava decided to put the speculation to rest.

"I have a crush on Principal Coulson!" announced Ava impulsively. There was a small silence before all the girls interrupted into laughter.

"You like Coulson?" shrieked Mackenzie.

Ava shrugged. "Yeah, he's cute," she said nervously, hoping no one would discover she was lying.

Anya playfully hit Ava with a pillow. "Oh my God! Ava is jailbait! So I guess Coulson is your PILF, huh?"

"My what?"

"You know. Principal You'd Like to—"

Just then, Ava's cellphone rang and she quickly answered, grateful to get away.

"Hello?" she asked as she sought some privacy in the kitchen.

"Ava, we need you," said Peter over the line. He sounded a little panicked.

"What's wrong?" asked Ava.

"Frightful Four. Get down here, now."

Then he hung up. MJ walked into the kitchen to get more popcorn just as Ava prepared to walk out.

"You're not leaving, are you?" asked MJ, worried. Ava shook her head.

"I need to run home and get something. I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, Ava took off through the back door and ran to the spot underneath MJ's porch where she had stashed her White Tiger costume and pulled it on.

When she reached the battle, Ava took a minute to observe the battle before deciding to assist Luke in taking down The Wizard.

"Hey, Tiger!" greeted the bulletproof teen as he delivered another punch. "What happened to your slumber party?"

"Decided to join a real party," replied Ava as she leapt into the air to take the villain down with a flying kick. Luke took over the rest and Ava went to help Danny battle Thundra.

"So how was it?" he asked as he dodged a hit. He and Ava double teamed to knock the villainess unconscious.

"The usual," said Ava as she watched Thundra fall to the ground. "Rented a couple movies, ate junk food—" Ava then noticed Peter and Sam were finishing off Klaw and Trapster as well and were listening.

"Then we had a naked pillow fight and experimented with our sexuality," she added. Peter pinned Trapster against a wall with his web and turned his attention to her.

"Seriously?"

"No, idiot," snapped Ava.

"Too bad," mumbled Trapster through a mouthful of web.

"Quiet, you," said Peter, pointing a stern finger at the man.

"So what did you really do?" asked Sam as he floated down to the ground. Ava sighed.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!" chorused the boys.

"It really wasn't that interesting. We just hung out and talked about boys we had crushes on—"

"Boys?" Sam perked up. "Who did you talk about? Did you talk about me?"

"Yes, I told them all about you. I told them how you were the most handsome and charming boy in school and then we sighed because we knew we could never have you," Ava said sarcastically but Sam missed the point.

"I knew the ladies found me irresistible!" he gloated and then he flew straight up into the air in a show of exuberance.

"Are you going to go back?" asked Peter.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, if it's so boring, why don't we do something together?"

"'We'?"

"I—I mean all of us. We could like, I don't know, grab dinner or catch a movie or something," he finished lamely.

"Uh, I think I should get back," said Ava. "I don't want MJ to think I ditched her or anything."

"Hey, what else did they say about me?" demanded Sam as he came back down to the ground.

"I'm not telling you," sing songed Ava as she started to go back.

"Fine, I'll just get MJ to tell me!"

"Ever heard of the Girl Code?" asked Ava over her shoulder.

The boys watched her dark pony tail swish between her shoulder blades as she ran off into the night.

"What do you think they talked about?" asked Luke.

"I don't even know if I want to know," said Daniel. Peter nodded solemnly.

Did anyone talk about _him_? Specifically, Ava perhaps?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hey, Parker," greeted Sam. Peter shut his locker door and nodded in Sam's direction.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much," yawned Sam. The he looked around suspiciously before motioning for Peter to lean in.

"I know a secret," he whispered. Peter waved the air in front of Sam's mouth.

"Is it that you don't use mouthwash? Because trust me, that's not a secret anymore."

"No, you idiot," said Sam, borrowing one of Ava's terms. "I know who Ava likes."

Peter's heart suddenly started pounding very rapidly in his chest. "Wh—who?" he asked, trying to be nonchalant.

Sam just shook his head. "Oh man, it is going to blow your mind. But then again, I guess it makes a lot of sense."

"What does?"

"The way she's always so nice to him, the way she gets mad at us for talking bad behind his back…Oh! And the way she always volunteers to do the paperwork? I bet she hands it in person."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Peter.

Sam opened his mouth but then Ava, Danny, and Luke joined them.

"Hey guys," greeted Ava. "How are you guys?"

Sam exchanged a look with Peter and then smirked at Ava. "I don't know Ava, how are _you _feeling?"

Ava shrugged. "I feel great. Why are you being so weird?"

"I don't know, I'm just concerned you might have been bitten by the love bug."

"What are you talking about, Sam?" sighed Ava.

Just then Phil Coulson walked by and nodded in the direction of the team. 'Try to stay out of trouble today," he told them.

"Yes sir," chorused the kids and as soon as he was out of earshot, Sam pointed a finger at Ava.

"So it is true!"

"What's true?" asked Danny, confused.

"Ava has a crush on Coulson!" sing songed Sam. Luke started to laugh and Ava's eyes narrowed as Danny joined in. Peter didn't do anything but just felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"Who told you that?" demanded Ava.

"MJ, duh. She told me how you think Coulson is a total PILF."

"A what?" asked Peter, not knowing if he _really _wanted to know what that meant.

"Oh, I get it," piped up Luke. "Principal I'd Like to—"

"Okay, that was just something I made up!" interrupted Ava. "I don't have a crush on Coulson; we were playing Truth or Dare and they asked me who I liked and I just said him."

"Because you _love_ him," sing songed Sam.

"Because he was the first person I thought of," corrected Ava.

"Well, why didn't you say one of us?" asked Peter, gesturing to him and the boys. Ava rolled her eyes.

"I just didn't! It was a stupid game. Can we talk about something else now?"

The boys exchanged looks and agreed but Sam wasn't done.

"Alright: are you planning a spring wedding or a summer wedding?"

"Idiot!" growled Ava as she shoved him into a locker. Peter felt a little annoyed; "idiot" was her nickname for _him_.

"So you don't like Coulson?" he clarified as he followed Ava to class. Ava gave him a surprised look.

"How many times do I have to say it? No!"

"Well—"

"Why do you care?"

"I—I don't!"

Ava stooped and looked at Peter skeptically.

"I don't," he insisted. He needed to make a joke now, to make things go back normal. He cracked a small smile and lightly punched Ava in the shoulder.

"I just…I just don't want Coulson to go to jail for statutory. I mean, who will run the school then?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot."

"Yeah, but that's why you love me," said Peter as he playfully nudged her hand. "Right?"

Ava didn't say anything. Peter nudged her hand one more time. "Right?"

"Right," said Ava finally and Peter's heart soared. "I have to go now, idiot."

Peter smiled as she walked away. He got his nickname back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Peter Parker is an idiot and here are the reasons why_, wrote Ava in her science journal.

_He cracks stupid jokes all the time._

_He is impulsive._

_He is obsessed with showing off, along with Sam_

_He just is._

Peter leaned over to see what she was scribbling. "Whatcha writing?"

Ava quickly flipped her page. "Just some notes," she told him. "Now pay attention. I'm not letting you copy off of me anymore."

Peter chuckled. "You always say that but you never mean it," he said as he traced his finger over Ava's elbow. She jerked her arm away and tried to concentrate on what their teacher was saying about stoichiometry.

"Well, now I do," she whispered and she turned away from him. Peter, undeterred, wrote something on a scrap piece of paper and passed it to her.

_Are you still mad about Sam? _it read. Ava wrote back, _No. Sam can't bother me for too long. He's just a bucket head. _

Peter let out a small chortle when he saw Ava used his nickname for Sam. Their teacher turned around and zeroed in on them.

"Is my lecture not interesting enough, Ms. Ayala, Mr. Parker?"

"No sir, I mean yes, sir—" Ava flushed as she tried to correct herself. The teacher approached their desks and noticed the paper between her and Parker.

"Passing notes?" he sneered. "Well, I'm sure you won't mind sharing your fascinating remarks with the rest of the class."

The class tittered as he picked up the paper and read aloud, "'Are you still mad about Sam?' 'No. Sam can't bother me for too long. He's just a bucket head.'"

The class giggled but not because anything was particularly incriminating, but because Ava was clearly flustered.

"Stimulating conversation," said the teacher dryly. "Now perhaps you can have more of those in detention. Today. After school."

Then he went back to the board to finish teaching and Ava shot Peter an angry look. She scooted away further from him and refused to look at him for the rest of the class.

When class let out, Ava bolted from her seat and Peter had to run to catch up with her. He caught her by the arm and said, "Hey, it's no use being mad at your detention buddy, you know."

"I don't want to talk to you," Ava said flatly.

"Come on, it's just detention," said Peter. "No big deal. We just sit there for an hour and then we're home free."

Ava didn't say anything but just shook her head. Peter took her hand and gently tugged it.

"Come on, we'll get something to eat afterwards. We'll go to your favorite place—Cuquita's."

"Cuquita's," said Ava, correcting Peter's atrocious accent.

"Yeah, that place. Look, I'll pay too."

"What like a—never mind."

"No, like what?"

"No, it's stupid."

"Nothing's ever stupid if it comes from you, Ava. Come on. What was it?"

"You're going to laugh."

No, I won't."

"Yes, you will."

"Ava, class is about to start and I know you don't want to be late. Tell me."

Ava blew out some air out of her mouth and flicked her hair. "I was going ask if this was a date."

Peter looked at her for a moment.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"It's a date."

"Don't joke with me, Parker. I am not in the mood."

"No, it's a real date. I'll open the door for you, take your chair out for you, and I'll pay so long as you don't order anything too expensive—'

Ava laughed and Peter swallowed before saying his next words. "And maybe I could get a kiss at the end?"

"Why would you want a kiss?"

"Wouldn't you want a kiss? Especially, after going out with a hunk like me?"

Ava bit her lip and smiled at him.

"Okay, you can have a kiss."

Peter grinned but was unprepared when Ava leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"There's your kiss," she said. "See you in detention." Then she walked away, giving him a look over her shoulder as she did so.

Peter was speechless for a moment before he ran after her, not caring that his next class was on the other side of the school.

"Hey! Hey, that one didn't count! I wasn't ready!" he yelled as he ran after her.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, I was planning to end this story after chapter 5 but due to high demand, I have decided to keep going with this and turn it into a companion fic to my other Ava/Peter story, "Their First". So, there might be references in from there thrown in here. And now, insert here my plea for more reviews and onto the story!

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It's not official, but Peter's pretty sure he and Ava are going out now after that date they just had and that incredible kiss they shared before she took the subway home. Even though he didn't need to, he quickly changed into his costume just so he could swing home.

"Afternoon, Aunt May," he said when he came in through the door, after changing back of course. Aunt May was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, and she was surprised to see Peter's happy face.

"You're awfully happy," she said pointedly.

"Yeah, well, I had a great day," he grinned as he took an apple from the fridge and bit into it.

"Even after detention?" asked Aunt May pointedly. Peter slumped, knowing he was in for a lecture.

"The school called, I take it?"

"Yes, they did. Peter-"

"Look, I won't do it again. I was passing notes and I got caught and I learned my lesson. End of story."

"No, not end of story," said Aunt May. "Peter, your actions today can affect you in the future. What college is going to take you with so many disciplinary actions on your record?"

Peter kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about it, Aunt May. I'm sure there's one school that would take me."

He briefly wondered if S.H.I.E.L.D. sponsored any universities or if he'd have to attend college on the helicarrier. "Anyway, don't you want to know why I am in such a good mood even after an unfairly handed out detention?"

"Alright, why?"

"Because…" Peter took a deep breath. "I had a date afterwards."

"With who? MJ?"

"What? No!" Peter rolled his eyes. "MJ and I tried to get serious once, remember? It didn't work out."

"Alright, who was it then?"

"Ava Ayala."

"Who?" asked Aunt May quizzically. Peter smacked his forehead with his hand. "I forgot. You haven't met her yet. You will soon, though. Anyway, call me when dinner's done."

With that, Peter bounded up the stairs to call Harry in private.

"Guess who I hung out with today after detention?" he said.

"Uh, not me because you had detention?" replied Harry.

"No, Ava. You know, Ava Ayala?"

"Oh, one of your…sandwich club friends?" Harry didn't sound too thrilled but Peter decided to keep going anyway. Harry would perk up when he heard the rest.

"Yeah, and anyways…we kissed." Peter waited for Harry's reaction.

"_And_?" Harry actually sounded a little irritated.

"What do you mean, 'and'?" Now it was Peter's turn to be annoyed. "This is the biggest thing that's happened to me since…since…ever!"

"So, what is she like, your girlfriend now?"

"I don't know, I guess so." Peter just heard Harry sigh on the phone. "What? I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I am, Pete. It's just…you're already hanging out with those people so much that I feel like we're not even friends anymore and now you've got a new girlfriend that's going to take up a lot of your time—"

"Hey, hey, hey," interrupted Peter. "We're still friends. I know we haven't been spending a lot of time together but…you know, you can't get mad at me for meeting new people. And, a girlfriend isn't going to take up a lot of my time."

Harry snorted. "Clearly, you've never had a girlfriend. See you tomorrow, Pete."

Peter sighed as Harry hung on up on him. He was right; Peter had been neglecting their friendship a little but he would make it up later. Right now, he was just going to take in the fact that he had a girlfriend, _he had a girlfriend, he had a girlfriend!_

Unless he dreamed the whole thing up.

Peter pinched himself. Nope, he was definitely not dreaming.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Another update! I should just warn everyone that since I wrote the previous five chapters all at once and now I have to write more one at a time, updates might be a little slower to come. But hey, you're getting a quality story here (hopefully) so I think that evens out. Don't get mad if I get stuck and decide to write random one shots instead of this-those one shots actually help me figure out where I want this to go. As usual, read and review.

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Chapter 7

When she got home last night, Ava felt like she was floating on air but now, walking through the fluorescent lit halls of Midtown High, she suddenly felt herself crashing down to earth. It was a stupid idea to get involved with Parker, partly because he was her teammate and partly because he was an idiot.

_An idiot who can kiss really good_, she thought before pushing that out of her mind. She knew it wasn't a smart idea and resolved to tell Peter that.

_It's just not a good idea because we're teammates and we already have enough on our plates as it is, _Ava mentally rehearsed as she closed her locker just as Peter snuck up behind her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Hey, what's up?" he greeted but he was taken aback by the surprised look on Ava's face.

"What are you doing?" she hissed as she looked around the hall to make sure no one had seen.

"Wait, so was yesterday a really crazy dream that I had or what?" wondered Peter. Ava felt guilty.

"No, that was real," she said, blushing. "It's just…Peter, I don't know if this is a good idea."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, if we keep dating—"

"So are we dating?" asked Peter, raising his eyebrows. Ava gave him a look and continued.

"It's just…I don't want things to get complicated if anything happens."

"And by 'anything' you mean…"

"What if we break up?" pointed out Ava. "Things are definitely going to be different between us."

"They're already different now," reminded Peter. Hesitantly, he took Ava's hand in his. "We can just take things slow if you want…"

"Hey, Parker!"

Peter groaned inwardly as he turned to face Flash Thompson as Ava pulled her hand away reluctantly.

"Did you do the math homework today?" demanded Flash.

"If I say no, will you go copy off someone else and leave me alone?" asked Peter hopefully. Without another word, Flash grabbed Peter's backpack off his shoulder and rifled through it for a few moments before he found what he was looking for. Flash shoved the backpack hard into Peter's chest.

"See you at lunch, Parker," sneered Flash before shoving Peter into the lockers. Ava helped him get back up.

"What wouldn't I give to just beat him at his own game," sighed Peter. "I could do it, you know."

"No one said you couldn't," said Ava.

"Well, getting beaten up in front of you is not exactly how I wanted to start my day."

"I've seen you get beaten up plenty of times before. Don't even bother trying to impress me."

"I can still try, can't I?" asked Peter, pretending to be offended. Ava smiled and was about to reply when another obnoxious person came their way.

"Hey, Parker!" called Sam as he, Danny, and Luke approached the two, who made an obvious effort to stand away from each other. "Can I see the math homework?"

"You're too late," said Ava. "Flash was already here."

"Aw, man!" groaned Sam.

"Here's a suggestion: why don't you actually do your homework instead of copying off mine?" snapped Peter.

"Because then he'd actually have to do work?" suggested Ava.

Sam frowned at the two of them. "Since when do you two back each other up?"

"Since we're the only ones who do the work around here," shot back Ava, without missing a beat.

"So I guess Parker's rubbing off on you, huh?" tsked Sam disappointingly. Ava and Peter exchanged glances.

"Not that much," she said vaguely.

"I wouldn't say that," said Peter. "I rub off on her more than she thinks." Ava gave him a look.

"What are you saying?" she asked suspiciously. Peter realized what was being implied.

"Oh no! Not like that! I mean, well—"

Luke raised his hand. "I don't know what you two are talking about and I don't care to. Come on, Sam. I'll help you with the homework."

"That's the other thing," said Ava wistfully as the three walked away. "How are we going to tell them?"

"We could send them a singing telegram," suggested Peter. "Put up a billboard or send a mass text?"

"Lovely suggestions but I think we should hold off on the billboard," said Ava. "I have to get to get class."

"Are you busy after school?" asked Peter, before she left.

"Not that I can think of," she replied slowly. "Why?"

"I was thinking we could hang out or do whatever boyfriends and girlfriends are supposed to do."

"Are we boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Only if you want to be," said Peter quickly.

Ava considered it for a moment. She liked Peter a lot, she had for a long time now as she was just realizing but the logical part of her brain was screaming that it was a bad idea. But her heart was telling her to throw caution to the wind and take a chance. Ava was tired to listening to both of them so she decided to shut those voices out and listen to something else: her hand, which reached out for Peter's and intertwined itself with his.

"I want to be," she said finally.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Another update! Might be the last for a little bit as I am going to be busy next week. But take heart, I definitely know what I am going to do with the next chapter.

* * *

Hiding their relationship is a lot like hiding his Spiderman identity, Peter muses.

For example, he always makes lame excuses whenever he needs to sneak away, which is often since he and Ava are in that part of the relationship where they can't keep their hands off each other.

And a few select people do know his secret, except now ironically enough, MJ, Harry, and Aunt May know about him and Ava but they don't know that whenever he leaves them, he is fighting crime as Spiderman while Sam, Danny, and Luke fight alongside him all the time, they don't know that he and Ava have a regular make out sessions in secluded parts of the helicarrier and Midtown High.

It's getting a little harder and harder as time goes by though, because Sam is starting to get suspicious ("Where are you two always going off together?" asks Sam whenever he catches them coming back) and Peter knows any day now, MJ will let something slip, not knowing that she's not supposed to say anything, which is why he needs to take care of that now.

But Ava's lips feels so nice against his that he doesn't want to stop.

"We should be getting back," Ava told him, breaking their kiss. They excused themselves early from lunch to go make out in the stairwell and now it was about to end, even though Peter didn't want it to.

"We can be late," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. Ava let him but protested, "Don't do that. Last time, you gave me a hickey and I really don't think anyone bought my mosquito bite story."

"But you like it," insisted Peter as he continued. The bell rang and Ava broke away from him, permanently.

"I'll see you later," she told him before kissing him goodbye before taking off into the sea of people on their way to fifth period. Peter watched her go and then noticed an inconspicuous redhead hounding Principal Coulson. He remembered his plan and followed her.

"Principal Coulson, I just want an interview," MJ was pleading while Coulson steadfastly ignored her.

"I'm sorry Miss Watson, but I just don't have the time. I do admire your persistence though, no matter how irritating it may be," he said before making a break for his office.

"Trying to get a story?" asked Peter as he came up behind MJ.

"There have been rumors of severe budget cuts and I was trying to get a quote," she explained. She took note of Peter's slightly disheveled clothes. "Where were you? Or should I ask, who were you with?"

"About that," said Peter hastily as he looked around to make sure Danny, Sam, or Luke weren't around. "Uh, you haven't said anything to Sam or anybody else about me and Ava?"

"No," MJ said slowly. "Why? Am I the one who's supposed to put it up on a billboard or something?"

"I'd pay for it," Peter said defensively but MJ rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Peter, what are you afraid of? It's bad enough _Ava_ had to tell me—I haven't even been friends with her for half as long as I've known you—but now you can't even tell your other friends either?"

"Technically, Sam's not my friend," began Peter but MJ gave him a look.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell them. Just don't say anything until I'm ready."

"I don't understand why it's taking you so long. Are you ashamed or something?"

"No! Of course not!" Peter insisted. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Things are just complicated, alright?"

"I don't understand," said MJ, rolling her eyes. "What, will this affect the dynamics of Sandwich Club?"

"Somewhat," he answered somewhat truthfully. "Or, I don't know."

"Peter, if they're your friends, or Ava's friends, then they'll be happy for you," said MJ. "You tell them. Today. Or I'm putting up a billboard. And I _won't_ use a nice picture of you."

"Okay, okay!" agreed Peter. "Today."

"Today," confirmed MJ as she pointed a finger in his face before walking away.

_Okay, today. We will tell them today_, thought Peter. He had to go find Ava and tell her and then together they would have to come up with something.

He briefly wondered how much a billboard cost to put up.

* * *

For how they broke the news, check out "Their First". Chapter is entitled "Their First Time Being Public".


End file.
